The business model of oral medicine—new market disruption of the practice of dental medicine

Abstract

The business model of oral medicine-new market disruption of the practice of dental medicine Oral medicine is defined by the American Academy of Oral Medicine as the discipline of dental medicine concerned with the oral health care of patients with medically complex conditions, including the diagnosis and management of medical disorders that affect the oral maxillofacial region. 1 This field of oral health care has advanced worldwide in the past 80 years. Accredited training programs with established goals, competencies, and experiences now exist in several parts of the world. As members of an interdisciplinary team, oral medicine practitioners must be knowledgeable of the principles of internal medicine, dermatology, rheumatology, infectious diseases, and pharmacology, among others, to be able to provide appropriate care to complex cases. 2 Our training provides opportunities to work in changing environments in a medical center, in an educational institution, or in private practice. Many of us merge our clinical skills with a passion for teaching and research. Although this has been an established model for oral medicine practitioners, morphing patient populations, increasing medical complexities, and evolving compensation patterns (i.e., bundled payments, value-based payment) in the medical/dental field have attracted a new group of young clinicians who are interested in the clinical practice of oral medicine in a community setting. We observe these fledgling dentists and junior residents approaching us at professional meetings with a genuine drive toward pursuing oral medicine training. A common question they pose is "What will I do as an oral medicine clinician?" Not everyone enjoys or wants an academic career. Some of our colleagues relish clinical practice and would love to establish themselves in their community as referring oral medicine providers. This scenario presents a significant challenge to the field because we believe that growth of our field demands that these individuals be able to inform and educate multiple stakeholders on the value-added proposition of our practice to overall health care. We believe that dentists with oral medicine training are now in high demand, not only in the academic and hospital environments but also in clinical practice. It is in clinical practice that translational discoveries presented in scientific forums move to population-level scenarios. Moreover, health care systems need clinicians who are able to uphold the patient's comprehensive and continuous health care and act in an interprofessional collaborative

The Value of the Oral Medicine Specialty in the Modern Healthcare Systems

“…Despite its status as an emerging specialty, oral medicine is still better known and more integrated with general healthcare in the USA than it is in Saudi Arabia [8]. Generally, it is not just dental practices that refer patients to oral medicine specialists in the USA – typically, the fields of dermatology, internal medicine, and otorhinolaryngology, among others, are also involved in these referrals [3, 6, 7]. There appears to be a distinct lack of awareness or understanding of the oral medicine profession among medical service providers in the Middle East.…”

“…Many parts of the world are now home to accredited oral medicine training programs, featuring established goals for the field, core competencies, and experienced practitioners [3]. The global establishment and widespread recognition of the field will further increase awareness of and access to oral medicine for patients and practitioners alike.…”

“…This study highlights a greater trend: there are very few established training programs in oral medicine and a lack of career guidance regarding oral medicine opportunities, thus affecting the desire of dental graduates to pursue this field [35]. Training in oral medicine allows graduates to practice in a range of environments, from a medical center to an educational facility to private practice [3]. In response to the higher demand for oral medicine specialists and the potential graduate interest, dental schools should emphasize oral medicine as a viable career path to upcoming graduates and provide them with information on these opportunities [35].…”

“…Oral medicine encompasses the management of ulcerative and vesiculobullous diseases of the oral cavity, orofacial pain disorders, salivary gland diseases, regional neurological impairments, temporomandibular disorders, oral complications from systemic diseases, and oral potentially malignant disorders [2]. Over the last several years, oral healthcare has taken great strides and seen dramatic advancements [3].…”

“…In order to successfully improve each patient’s healthcare outcomes and quality of life, healthcare systems require well-trained specialists who work interprofessionally to provide comprehensive and continuous care [3]. In this review, we discuss the oral medicine specialty’s role in healthcare systems, medical and dental education, and interdisciplinary patient care.…”